Manhattan Heights (El Paso, Texas neighborhood)

Last updated

Manhattan Heights Historic District
LocationRoughly bounded by Grant, Louisiana and Richmond Aves., El Paso, Texas
Area191 acres (77 ha)
Built1914 (1914)
Architectural style Prairie School, Bungalow/Craftsman, Spanish Colonial Revival
NRHP reference No. 80004107 [1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 27, 1980

Manhattan Heights (also known as Memorial Park) [2] is a historic district and neighborhood in El Paso, Texas. The neighborhood was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. [2]

Contents

History

The Federal Copper Company operated a smelter in the area that would later become Manhattan Heights between June 9, 1899 and December 1, 1908. [3] The smelter was designed by architects, Buchanan and Allen, and ore processing began on September 10, 1901. [4] The copper company's smelter was demolished by 1912 to make way for a residential area. [3] On October 12, 1912, the area was sold to a dentist, Dr. James B. Brady for $85,000. [5] The first home was built in 1914, and most homes were completed by the 1930s. [3] The homes were designed with wealthy buyers in mind. [6]

In 1976, residents formed the Memorial Park Improvement Association (MPIA), to help restore the neighborhood. [6] Kenneth Bailey, Una Hill, Mary Wilson, Louis Cantwell, Mary Neil Brown and Sandra Davis were all involved with getting Manhattan Heights designated a historic neighborhood on June 9, 1979. [3] [4] It was the first neighborhood in El Paso to receive that distinction. [3] Because of the historic status of the neighborhood, efforts to preserve old homes have been undertaken by the El Paso Historic Preservation Alliance. [7]

Cityscape

Mabel Welch Historic Marker at Memorial Park, El Paso, TX Mabel Welch Historic Marker at Memorial Park El Paso, TX.jpg
Mabel Welch Historic Marker at Memorial Park, El Paso, TX

The boundaries of Manhattan Heights are made up by Memorial Park, Piedras Road, Copia Street and Louisville. [8]

Architecture in Manhattan Heights includes buildings that represent Georgian Revival, Foursquare, Tudor, American bungalows and Spanish-Italian architectural influences. [3] In 1927, the first woman architect in El Paso and second in Texas, Mabel C. Welch, built her first home in the Manhattan Heights neighborhood. [9] Welch started the trend of Spanish revival in the area. [9]

Education

Manhattan Heights School, later renamed Crockett Elementary School, was established in 1919. [10] The name change took place in order to honor heroes from Texas and happened on May 8, 1922. [11]

The area is served by the Memorial Park Branch of the El Paso Public Library system. [12]

Parks and recreation

Veterans Memorial Park was set aside by the city of El Paso on May 13, 1920. [13] The park is a war memorial and "desert oasis" designed primarily by landscape architect, George Kessler. [13]

Roses in the El Paso Municipal Rose Garden. El Paso Municipal Rose Garden.jpg
Roses in the El Paso Municipal Rose Garden.

Another park in the area is the Municipal Rose Garden, which was opened in May 1959. [13] The rose garden showcases over 430 varieties of roses and 1,500 individual rose buses. [14] The roses growing in the garden are representative of types that grow best in El Paso's desert climate. [15] The garden is about 4-acres in size. [15] The garden has been maintained by El Paso Master Gardeners since 2007, who work as volunteers. [14] The garden is multi-level and also includes waterfalls and a koi pond. [15] The garden is open seasonally, from the beginning of March until the end of November. [14] It is located on North Copia street and has free admission. [16] Prior to the Rose garden, there were several different gardens on the site which were known as the Hill Top Gardens Area and opened in 1933. [13] The rock wall seats of the garden were part of a Civil Works Administration project and the gardens were completed by 1935. [13] The Hill Top Gardens won a Better Homes and Gardens contest in 1938. [13]

Culture

Religion

St. Alban's Episcopal church, a mission of the first Protestant church in El Paso, Church of St. Clement, was dedicated on December 11, 1921. [17]

Notable residents

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paso, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

El Paso is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the U.S., the most populous city in West Texas, and the sixth-most populous city in Texas. The city has the largest Hispanic population share of main cities in the U.S. at 81%. Its metropolitan statistical area covers all of El Paso and Hudspeth counties in Texas, and had a population of 868,859 in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morningside Heights</span> Neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City

Morningside Heights is a neighborhood on the West Side of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Morningside Drive to the east, 125th Street to the north, 110th Street to the south, and Riverside Drive to the west. Morningside Heights borders Central Harlem and Morningside Park to the east, Manhattanville to the north, the Manhattan Valley section of the Upper West Side to the south, and Riverside Park to the west. Broadway is the neighborhood's main thoroughfare, running north–south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hueco Tanks</span> United States historic place

Hueco Tanks is an area of low mountains and historic site in El Paso County, Texas, in the United States. It is located in a high-altitude desert basin between the Franklin Mountains to the west and the Hueco Mountains to the east. Hueco is a Spanish word meaning hollows and refers to the many water-holding depressions in the boulders and rock faces throughout the region. Due to the unique concentration of historic artifacts, plants and wildlife, the site is under protection of Texas law; it is a crime to remove, alter, or destroy them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University Heights, San Diego</span> Community in California

University Heights is a neighborhood in Central San Diego, California centered on Park Boulevard and Adams Avenue. University Heights is bounded on the west and north by the edge of the mesa, the southern boundary is Lincoln Avenue, and the eastern boundary is Texas Street. The area is filled with a number of restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and artist studios primarily on Park Boulevard and Adams Avenue. Live entertainment can be found most nights. Adjacent to Hillcrest, Normal Heights and North Park, additional restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and night clubs are within easy reach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton Grange National Memorial</span> United States historic place

Hamilton Grange National Memorial, also known as The Grange or the Hamilton Grange Mansion, is a National Park Service site in St. Nicholas Park, Manhattan, New York City, that preserves the relocated home of U.S. Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The mansion holds a restoration of the interior rooms and an interactive exhibit on the newly constructed ground floor for visitors. The Hamilton Heights subsection of Harlem derived its name from Hamilton's 32-acre estate there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Bliss National Cemetery</span> Historic veterans cemetery in El Paso County, Texas

Fort Bliss National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in West Texas, located at Fort Bliss, a U.S. Army post adjacent to the city of El Paso. Administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, it encompasses 82.1 acres (33.2 ha), and as of 2014, had over 50,000 interments. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

Central El Paso is part of the city of El Paso, Texas, and contains some of the city's oldest and most historic neighborhoods. Located in the heart of the city, it is home to approximately 130,000 people. Development of central El Paso started around 1875, when the city was barely beginning to gain its roots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeast El Paso</span>

Northeast El Paso is part of the city of El Paso, Texas and is located north of Central El Paso, and east of the Franklin Mountains. Its southern boundary is variously given as Fred Wilson Boulevard or Cassidy Road and Van Buren Avenue, and it extends northward to the New Mexico state line; some portions of this region lie outside the city limits, including parts of Franklin Mountains State Park and areas of Fort Bliss: the Logan Heights area of Fort Bliss around Chapin High School and Castner Range National Monument, an old firing range northwest of Hondo Pass Drive and Gateway South Boulevard. Development of Northeast El Paso, which had begun before the Second World War around the Logan Heights area, started in earnest during the 1950s, when many homes were demolished in the process of the construction of Interstate 10. It is one of the more ethnically diverse areas of town due to a high concentration of military families. Northeast El Paso has historically not developed at a rate comparable to East El Paso and Northwest El Paso, but in recent years, it has seen an increase in development. It is expected that the population in Northeast El Paso will grow more rapidly as a result of the troop increase for Fort Bliss in the coming years. Northeast El Paso has gained recognition throughout the city for schools like Parkland, Irvin, Andress and Chapin because of their outstanding athletic programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kern Place</span> Place in Texas, United States

Kern Place is a historic neighborhood on the West side of El Paso, Texas. The neighborhood lies just east of the University of Texas at El Paso, and north of downtown. Kern is part of District 1 in the City of El Paso and currently represented by Peter Svarzbein. The neighborhood was created by Peter E. Kern, and once had an unusual gate marking the entrance. Madeline Park in the center of the neighborhood is named after Kern's daughter. Businesses and a small entertainment district border the eclectic housing featured in the neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington Heights, Portland, Oregon</span> Neighborhood in Portland, Oregon, United States

Arlington Heights is a neighborhood in Portland, Oregon known for its grand houses. It is home to Washington Park, the Portland Japanese Garden, the International Rose Test Garden, and the Oregon Zoo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunset Heights</span> United States historic place

Sunset Heights is a historic area in El Paso, Texas; which has existed since the latter part of the 1890s. Many wealthy residents have had their houses and mansions built on this hill. Although some buildings have been renovated to their former glory, many have been neglected and have deteriorated. An organization, the Sunset Heights Improvement Association helps neighbors on a fixed income to manage home maintenance and also sponsors an annual tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McKelligon Canyon</span>

McKelligon Canyon is the location of a 1,503-seat amphitheater located in El Paso, Texas, United States, where the play Viva El Paso! is presented. The amphitheater is also used for concerts, graduation ceremonies, and other special events. Adjacent is the 300-seat McKelligon Canyon Pavilion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plaza Theatre (El Paso)</span>

The Plaza Theatre is a historic building in El Paso, Texas built in 1930. The theater stands as one of the city's most well-known landmarks, and remains operational today. The theatre is a National Historic Building of Significance featuring the 2,050-seat Kendall Kidd Performance Hall, and the smaller 200-seat Philanthropy Theatre. It hosts Broadway productions, musical concerts, individual performers and the annual Plaza Classic Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paso Public Libraries</span>

The El Paso Public Libraries is the municipal public library system of El Paso, Texas. The library serves the needs the public in El Paso, Texas, Chaparral, New Mexico and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. It consists of 14 branches and one Bookmobile service. Multiple outreach services are also available including a Homebound service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norhill, Houston</span>

Norhill, Houston is an historic neighborhood in northwest-central Houston, TX (USA). It is adjacent to the more widely known Houston Heights neighborhood as well as Woodland Heights. Norhill is distinguished by its prevalence of bungalows and the green spaces known as esplanades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chihuahuita, Texas</span> Neighborhood of El Paso, Texas, United States

Chihuahuita is a neighborhood in El Paso, Texas. It has also been known as the "First Ward." It is considered the oldest neighborhood in the city. It has also suffered through extreme poverty in its history. It is currently on the Most Endangered Historic Places list as compiled by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It is located on the border of the Rio Grande at the Mexico–United States border. For most of the twentieth century, the name Chihuahuita was used to refer to all of southern El Paso, often including El Segundo Barrio. In 1991, Chihuahuita was designated as a historic district by the city of El Paso.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter E. Kern</span>

Peter E. Kern was a jeweler and real-estate entrepreneur in El Paso, Texas and Skagway, Alaska. Kern Place in El Paso is named after him. Kern was keenly interested in astrology. Kern was a Freemason and had been a member of the El Paso Lodge No. 130 for fifty years. He was also interested in the Egyptian swastika, which he made into jewelry and worked into various designs. Kern was also known for building the first Queen Anne house in the city, which was located on North Oregon Street. Kern lived at 1308 Cincinnati Street. The gate to the neighborhood was on Robinson Street:

Otto H. Thorman was an American architect. He designed many houses in the Manhattan Heights neighborhood of El Paso, Texas, as well as several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places like the Woman's Club of El Paso and Goddard Hall on the campus of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mabel C. Welch</span> American architect

Mabel Clair Vandenburg Welch was an American architect. She was the first woman to work as a professional architect in El Paso, Texas.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "National Register of Historic Places" . Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Peters 2011, p. 7.
  4. 1 2 Peters 2011, p. 9.
  5. ↑ Metz 1999, p. 192.
  6. 1 2 Peters 2011, p. 8.
  7. ↑ Crowder, David (January 6, 2013). "Preservation Group Restores Bungalow". El Paso Inc. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  8. ↑ Metz 1999, p. 191.
  9. 1 2 Peters 2011, p. 31-32.
  10. ↑ Peters 2011, p. 55.
  11. ↑ Metz 1993, p. 203.
  12. ↑ "Memorial Park Branch". El Paso Public Library. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Peters 2011, p. 43.
  14. 1 2 3 "El Paso Municipal Rose Garden". El Paso County Master Gardeners. August 13, 2010. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 McDonald 2008, p. 82.
  16. ↑ Stephens 2003, p. 236.
  17. ↑ Peters 2011, p. 75.
  18. ↑ Crowder, David (December 12, 2011). "County Judge Veronica Escobar". El Paso Inc. Retrieved May 24, 2017.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.